The Peteloaf Chronicles

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Beer and the wonderful brevity of getting up early

Well, work boxes well and truly ticked. 18:45 and job's a good 'un. Gives me plenty of time to rest this evening. Might even celebrate with a home-made curry and a film. I haven't had the opportunity to watch The Corpse Bride yet. Given that I quite enjoyed The Nightmare before Christmas, I'm expecting Mr Burton to deliver once again.

Saw Team America for the fist time a few weeks ago. I watched it with my Mum. She's wasn't impressed. I'm not sure if she was least impressed with the film, or my psedo step-dad's and my squeeling like a stupid child at it. I suspect she doesn't like the fact that he and I have bonded over something.

That was an interesting day that was. I had to chauffeur my Mum up to Nottingham (she has a gammy thigh) so that she could attend my sister's mother-in-law's funeral. Even though I'd never met the dearly deceased, I didn't mind. Little Sis is a bit down and the moment and it was a good chance to go see her. It felt odd, though. I was in a house saturated with grief. There was genuine mourning. Even the bloody dog looked like it had tears in its eyes. The Dad was out of his tree on a cocktail of mourning and whisky, while the (almost) brother-in-law was playing the cold emotionless robot role, trying his hardest to take care of his Dad and his little brother. I couldn't help but get carried away with all the emotions. It made me think of dead people I knew, who I hadn't grieved for in a long time. That's why, when my mother fell asleep on the drive home, I took the 100 mile detour so we could go visit my grandfather's grave.

That was a good thing to do. It felt good. As we were clearing the overgrown weeds off his stone, and could see the lettering, I remembered things which he used to say, and the knowing way in which he used to make things better with a cup of sugary tea and a discussion around the merits of different fast bowlers. It was nice. I felt close. We took a detour to look at all the places where we used to live, my old primary school, and took a visit to the new supermarket which is on the site of the old health centre where my little Sis was born. That's where I picked up of Team America.

I looked him up on google when I got in. In today's intercyberwebnet world, it was bizarre to see nothing there. He had been the President of a regional branch of the British Legion, and Chief Treasurer of a major national Cancer charity. He had a CBE too for services to charity. Funny how people can be forgotten by the world so easily.

Anyhow. Must go. That's enough rambling for today.

Sleep well xx